Adult circumcision has been proposed as a possible HIV prevention strategy for gay men, but a new study by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health presented at the XVIII International AIDS Conference suggests it would have a very small effect on reducing HIV incidence in the United States.

Circumcision is thought to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by removing cells in the foreskin that are most susceptible to infection by the virus. Clinical trials conducted in Africa have found it reduces the risk of HIV in heterosexual men, yet there is little evidence that it can reduce transmission among American gay men.

The study was based on surveys of 521 gay and bisexual men in San Francisco. Findings indicated that 115 men (21 percent) were HIV-positive and 327 (63 percent) had been circumcised.

Of the remaining 69 men (13 percent), only three (0.5 percent) said they would be willing to participate in a clinical trial of circumcision and HIV prevention, and only four (0.7 percent) were willing to get circumcised if it was proven safe and effective in preventing HIV.

The researchers extrapolated these findings to the entire gay and bisexual male population of San Francisco, an estimated 65,700 people, and determined that only 500 men would potentially benefit from circumcision.

“Circumcision in the U.S. already is very common, making it applicable to a limited number of men as a potential HIV prevention strategy in adulthood,” said Chongyi Wei, Dr.P.H., study author and post-doctoral associate, Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health. “Our study indicates that any potential benefit may likely be too small to justify implementing circumcision programs as an intervention for HIV prevention.”

Study co-authors include H. Fisher Raymond, M.P.H., Willi McFarland, M.D., Ph.D., Susan Buchbinder, M.D., and Jonathan Fuchs, M.D., all of the San Francisco Department of Health. The study was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH), founded in 1948 and now one of the top-ranked schools of public health in the United States, conducts research on public health and medical care that improves the lives of millions of people around the world.

GSPH is a leader in devising new methods to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases, HIV/AIDS, cancer and other important public health issues. For more information about GSPH, visit the school’s Web site at http://www.publichealth.pitt.edu

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Vivus Inc said a second late-stage study of its erectile dysfunction drug met the main goals of improving erectile function score across the two doses that were studied in the trial.

The trial, named REVIVE-Diabetes (TA-302), tested the safety and efficacy of the drug avanafil in 390 men with diabetes and erectile dysfunction.

The study showed statistically significant improvement in erectile function and successful intercourse in 15 minutes and beyond six hours after dosing, the company said in a statement.

Last November, data from the first late-stage study — named REVIVE (TA-301) — on the drug showed it met the main trial goals and was effective in 30 minutes or less. [ID:nN18109272]

Commonly reported side effects included headache, nasopharyngitis, flushing, sinus congestion, sinusitis and dyspepsia. There were no drug-related serious adverse events in the study.

The company is conducting two more trials on avanafil, one in men who have undergone radical prostatectomy and an open-label safety study.

In total, the late-stage avanafil clinical program will enroll about 1,300 patients, Vivus said.

Source: Reuters

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Acid reflux is a medical condition where acid from the stomach flows back into the esophagus. It’s a disease that can strike anyone regardless of their age, race, or gender. However, because men are so strong-willed, they are notorious for ignoring acid reflux symptoms:

Periodic or Frequent Heartburn – When the stomach acid spills over into the throat, it causes a burning sensation known as heartburn. Getting heartburn on a regular basis is not normal. This is one of the most common acid reflux symptoms and if it’s not treated, it can lead to serious damage.

Indigestion Symptoms – Do you ever feel bloated or does it feel like the food in your stomach isn’t moving? Do you ever feel nauseous after eating a meal? These symptoms aren’t always caused by acid reflux, but sometimes they are. That’s why it’s important for men to not ignore them if they’re a consistent problem.

“Wet” Burping – Does burning liquid ever come up into your throat when you burp? If it does, that means that stomach acid is being regurgitated.

When men suffer from one or more of these symptoms, they should talk with their doctor to see if they have acid reflux. There is no benefit in “being tough” and ignoring the symptoms, because when you do that it can make matters worse. Some of the long term consequences of acid reflux are:

Premature Aging of Teeth

Stomach acid is very strong and will corrode almost anything it comes in contact with. When it splashes into the mouth, it will eat away at the enamel of the teeth and accelerate their aging.

Damage To Throat

Stomach acid will eat away at the lining of the esophagus. Over time this can lead to scar tissue formation and in rare cases, pre-cancerous tissue. Acid reflux throat symptoms can also affect your speech.

Permanent Lower Esophageal Sphincter Damage

This is the valve that separates the stomach and the throat – its job is to prevent the contents of the stomach from flowing up. When it doesn’t work right, acid reflux will occur. Unfortunately, if left untreated, it might damage the sphincter ever further (resulting in worse acid reflux).

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Mans best friend: The Dog !

We typically know our dogs to be good companions when we are lonely or upset. They are great to go on walks and jogs with us and they might even help keep our homes safe. If you are a diabetic a Dog really might be your best friend since recent studies confirm that Dogs can detect changes in a Diabetics Blood Sugar even before a human being is aware!

A study by Queen’s University in Belfast last year revealed that 75% percent of 212 dogs responded to their owners who had a sudden changes in blood sugar. The dogs typically came quickly to their owners sides, nudged them and began licking their hands, feet and noses clearly indicating something was wrong.

In the United States there are many dogs already trained to do this for the last several years. However, in Germany the training is still in its infancy.

At a dog school located in Osnabrück it won’t be until the summer when the first 20 diabetic friendly dogs are scheduled to complete their training with a final exam to test their abilities.

At this time the cost of the dog training for Diabetics is not currently covered by health insurance plans however the first wave of Diabetics are already presenting their cases before Social Security groups to get funding for this cause. With enough time, devotion and time invested you could even develop your own four-legged friend into a Diabetic life saving dog.

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Twenty-somethings through ninety-somethings can all relate to burn out, the point you reach when you simply do not want to do anymore. One of the best ways to avoid burn out is to have balance in your daily activities; sometimes this is easier said than done.

Burn-out and stress can go hand-in-hand if you aren’t careful. Sometimes people have the best of intentions and start a new project with an abundance of energy only to find a few weeks later they want nothing to do with that very project they were once so enthusiastic about, maybe you are one of these people.

Perhaps you are several years into a career and are simply tired of what you are doing and find it becoming more and more difficult to get up and go to work everyday. In either case, you are suffering from burnout.

Burn out can cause stress. You become stressed because certain things are not getting accomplished that should be getting done, but you just can’t seem to make yourself do it. Staying in this frame of mind, a stressed mindset, can cause physical health issues as well as excellerate aging.

It is very important to maintain some sort of balance in your day to help prevent burn out. This balance does not need to cost a lot of money. Simply going for a walk around the park or sitting outside in your own backyard, or sitting on the balcony for apartment residents, can be just the break you need. Incorporating gentle stretching into your daily routine will also help break up the monotony and make you feel better.

Another good way to prevent burn out is to pace yourself. This is easier to control if it is a project you are working on at home. In the work place itself it is not as easy to prevent burnout. That is a fact. There are things you can do to help alleviate the feeling, howerver. Take a walk outside during your work day if you work in an office, or ask your supervisor if you can keep the radio on low.

Last but not least, when you are tired of the work itself…don’t concentrate on how much you dislike it. That will only make it worse.

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It is a proven fact that lung diseases like chronic bronchitis and emphysema, part of the diseases grouped into the category chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), can be caused by smoking cigarettes. However, not much has been shown about the risk factors of other types of smoking for COPD.

A recent study that was reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine seems to suggest that those who smoke pipes and cigars are more at risk for COPD than those who don’t. In the study, 56 participants said they had smoked a minimum of 20 bowls of pipe tobacco or 20 cigars in their lives. The airways of 18% of these participants were blocked. Obstructed airflow is one of the major signs of COPD.

This study had a total of 3500 participants. Those who had never smoked cigarettes, but were pipe or cigar smokers, had lower scores than those who had never smoked on tests that checked for lung function. They were also two times as likely to present with obstructed airflow. For those who had smoked cigarettes, cigars, and pipes during their lifetime, the risk that they would have obstructed airflow increased by three times.

Cigar and pipe smokers are under the misconception that these are safe ways to smoke tobacco because they do not inhale the smoke. This current study refutes this idea and found that these smokers are still exposed to enough of the toxins from the smoke to have an adverse affect on the health of their lungs. Smoking pipes and cigars has also been connected to higher risks of throat and mouth cancers and heart disease besides the lung cancer.

The researchers who conducted this study find their results significant and hope that their findings will take away from the sophisticated way in which pipe and cigar smoking are portrayed. They believe that the tobacco industry wants consumers to believe that “these products play a suitable role in our society.”

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Increased positive coverage by respected media outlets has helped clear up many of the inaccurate views about HGH stemming from several professional sports scandals. Unlike the injectable banned substances that were the basis of those problems, HGH supplements are a safe, effective nutritional supplement that can be taken orally.

HGH supplements are available legally without a prescription, making them an attractive option for anyone looking for a boost in protecting their health and vitality. At prices within the range of most budgets, HGH products like Sytropin provide an affordable alternative to prescription injections or artificial hormone therapy.

The surge in HGH interest has been good for the top HGH manufacturers. “To be honest, we were surprised at the number of new people seeking out HGH products that are in the older demographic from our core loyal client group” said Gabe Uris, a Sytropin spokesman. “Two years ago, it was mostly bodybuilders and elite athletes that made up the majority of Sytropin HGH users , but now people of all ages, from all walks of life, have started experiencing the anti-aging effects of HGH supplementation.”

HGH products sold as nutritional supplements are typically aimed at increasing the body’s production of its own natural human growth hormone, called somatotropin.

Products like Sytropin provide the building blocks of our body’s own HGH molecule, eliminating the risk of dangerous side effects, while typically blending them with growth factors and amino acids for enhanced benefits.

For many people, deeper sleep, higher energy levels, and improved vitality are the most common benefits, often experienced within the first few days of usage. For more information about Sytropin, visit

http://www.sytropin.com

Pictures: Sytropin.com

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Snoring has long been held as a health risk for high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. However, recent studies indicate that snoring may increase calorie expenditure and pose no increased health risk to sufferers. While these findings are intriguing, more studies must be done to clarify the role of snoring and sleep apnea in health.

A new study from the University of California shows that heavy snoring burns calories, with sufferers continuing to burn more calories even when awake. Those scoring highest for conditions of sleep apnea and breathing disruptions during sleep also had the highest resting energy expenditure.

However, researchers point out that this study did not examine the correlation between sleep disorders and calorie intake or physical activity during the day. For clear conclusions to be drawn regarding the effects of sleep disorders on total calorie expenditure, more studies are needed.

Another study in Israel involving 600 elderly patients suggests that snoring is not actually a health risk at all. This study showed the risk of early death in those with moderate sleep apnea was actually only half that of people with no such history. A possible explanation of these may be that the continual pauses in breathing during sleep actually work to strengthen the heart, making it easier for the body to handle a heart attack or stroke.

Furthermore, the study found that even in a group suffering from severe sleep disordered breathing, the risk of death was no higher than in the control group. Thus, snoring appears to be of no additional risk and may even be beneficial in moderation.

Snoring and sleep apnea affect millions of people worldwide and have often been associated with a higher risk of death from heart attack, stroke and other diseases. However, the results of these 2 recent studies indicate that these conditions may not be as negative a factor in health as previously thought. Additional studies will provide more insight into how sleep disorders affect the overall health of individuals, though doctors still recommend that patients seek treatment for such conditions.

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Qnexa, developed by Vivus, a California-based company, is a new weight loss drug which also shows great promise as an anti-snoring medication. Qnexa, designed to be taken once daily, is a combination of the weight loss drug phentermine and the anti-epilepsy drug topiramate.

By combining these two drugs, researchers believe they have addressed issues of appetite and satiety, the two main determining factors in obesity. Furthermore, a small trial in the U.S. has shown this drug to have significant effects on snoring and sleep apnea, making it of additional benefit to millions.

The combination of phentermine and topiramate in Qnexa was shown in a phase 3 study result in an average weight loss of 37 pounds over 56 weeks. Side effects were mild, consisting of dry mouth, tingling in the extremities and constipation. The weight loss and safety of Qnexa appear to be greater than with the use of either drug alone.

The use of Qnexa to improve snoring and sleep apnea has also shown great promise, though further study needs to be done. A small, 6-month U.S. trial has shown Qnexa to be effective in reducing snoring by 70 percent in the 45 patients participating. Possibly, this is a result of weight loss, as patients in the trial lost an average of 10 percent of their body weight.

Another possibility is that Qnexa may work to tighten the throat muscles, reducing airway compression. Larger studies are now planned to determine exactly how Qnexa works in this capacity. Vivus, the company which developed Qnexa, hopes to also get it approved for treatment of sleep apnea. As there are currently no drugs approved for this condition, Qnexa could represent a huge breakthrough in this area.

Qnexa, the new drug originally developed by Vivus for the treatment of obesity, is now being explored as a treatment for sleep apnea. Qnexa appears to be both safe and effective in the treatment of both conditions, making it a promising new drug for these conditions, each of which affects millions worldwide. This once-a-day pill could prove to be somewhat of a miracle drug for these many sufferers.

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There are numerous ways to help improve your health and treating your heart well is one of them! Often an overlooked aspect of personal fitness, your heart is the driving force behind your fitness levels and should be treated accordingly.

As the heart is a large muscle itself, it needs training regularly to keep it pumping blood around your body more efficiently. When you take part in strenuous exercise, the heart will increase in size and strength, in response to the workload exerted on it. This means the heart the next time your heart needs to work hard, less strain will be put on the muscle itself. You will often find that a fit person has a low resting heart rate as their heart is very efficient at pumping the same volume of blood round the body with fewer beats.

Along with a healthy exercise regime, eating well is one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy as you get older. You can help your heart stay in shape with anti-oxidants, which are found in fruits like blueberries and omega 3s.

Omega 3 are derived from fish oil, which can be found in oily fish like mackerel, herring and salmon and also available in capsule form at your local health store.

By increasing your intake of fish oil, you can help reduce the work load your heart must deal with on a day by day basis. Omega 3’s are thought to reduce blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, which should add years to your life!

A well balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, fibre and grains will also compliment these naturally occurring compounds, which is a great addition to a active lifestyle. Be sure to consult your doctor or GP if you feel your heart is giving you problems.

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